


Relinquish

by yuma (yuma_writes)



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Attempted Murder, Conspiracy, Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Protectiveness, Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-07 04:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10351992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuma_writes/pseuds/yuma
Summary: Written by David and Yum@A lone soldier takes it upon himself to eliminate  key members of the  Stargate Project.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

"Incoming travelers!" 

As the alarms rang out warning of activation of the Stargate, soldiers in fatigues ran through the opening bulk doors. Their guns aimed at the black opaque ring; the soldiers stood ready as they waited for the titanium iris to either stay open or closed. 

Viewing all this was General Hammond, in a booth, overhead the spinning black Stargate, waiting for confirmation by his staff on who the visitors were. 

"Computer confirms it is SG-1, general." The technician said, adjusting his glasses to get a closer look at his computer screen. "The entry codes are present and complete." 

"Open the iris." General Hammond said, waiting for it to open and reveal the settling pool of shimmering light. 

Never had the general imagined that this towering stone ring could take anyone to anywhere in the galaxy. He also never thought that their enemy would no longer be human, either. It was a new world for him, so he was always present when the teams return. Envious that these young men and women could go on this new adventure, or perhaps he wanted to physically see them return home safely, the general was always present for the returns. 

Colonel Jack O'Neill, team leader of the returning SG-1, was from the first mission, which took him to Abydos where the descendants of Earth were slaves to an alien king who had brought himself up as an Egyptian god. Daniel Jackson, the original Egyptologist who deciphered the strange hieroglyphics of the Stargate, was on the team to track down the alien enemy and to rescue his wife Shau-ri, who was captured by the Go'ualds. Captain Samantha Carter, an astrophysicist at the Pentagon, was the only female to join up the team. And Teal'c, an alien warrior who hosts an infant alien until maturity. In exchange, Teal'c received perfect health and abnormal strengths. _A strange bunch indeed_ , the general thought as he watched the shield opened to reveal the shimmering surface of the Stargate. In just moments, he knew the four would exit out of the device. The team was different from the other teams, not just because of an alien comrade, but because the group worked so well together. 

The first one exited out of the Stargate, waving to the soldiers to indicate that they were friendly. Taking off the helmet, the blond hair revealed that it was Carter. 

The next one stumbled out after Carter. He took off his helmet and put on his wire spectacles. "That was a boring planet." He grumbled as he came down the ramp. 

"Not all planets can be Eden, Daniel." Carter commented, noting that O'Neill and Teal'c just came in after him. The Stargate shut down soon after, its shimmering lights gone. 

"No, but at least Eden might have had some nice artifacts or something." Daniel grumbled. He eyed the soldiers, relieved to see that they lowered their weapons. He shuddered to think what would happen if they were to panic and fired by mistake. _Of course_ , Daniel thought to himself, _they were more like robots so they were programmed pretty well_. 

"You could have picked up one in their souvenir shop." O'Neill drawled as he took off his helmet and ran a hand through his short military cut hair. 

Daniel grunted, not finding it particularly funny, as he walked down the ramp, pass the soldiers, who were packing up their weapons after the all clear signal. One soldier was watching Daniel, making no move to pack away his weapon. 

"What is a souvenir?" Teal'c inquired as he took off his helmet to reveal the gold tattoo of the Jaafa on his forehead. 

Carter laughed as she tried to imagine Daniel giving him a lecture on the roots of a souvenir. But Daniel was already out of the room, towards the elevator to get down to the lab to analyze the film of cave writings, the only thing found on that planet. She didn't notice the soldier, who was following him. Teal'c did notice, however, and thought it to be curious. As Carter and O'Neil headed for the debriefing room upstairs, Teal'c decided to join Daniel Jackson to the lab and see if he could be of some help to the human scholar. 

"Doctor Jackson?" 

Daniel looked up as he entered the elevator, not realizing that the soldier had followed him into the car. The soldier stood half a head taller than him, with black hair and gray eyes. Daniel didn't recognize the soldier. He was sure he would have remembered such a face. A scar ran from the jaw to the collarbone. _Ouch_ , he thought with a slight wince. 

"I'm sorry, are you new here?" Daniel smiled as he punched the B2 button. The soldier didn't make a move to push a button so Daniel assumed that he was going down to the labs, too. 

The soldier turned around to face him and Daniel suddenly realized that he still had his pistol with him. Frowning, he pointed it out to the soldier. "You know, I may not be military, but I am pretty sure that you shouldn't be carrying around that thing down to the labs." 

"That's the problem." The soldier said quietly. 

Daniel was startled, unable to react when he saw that the pistol was now pointed at him. Suddenly, the soldier's eyes glowed angrily at him. 

"You're not military." With that, the soldier fired three shots pointblank to Daniel's chest. The scientist gave a small gasp, as the gun made no sounds except for a few pops. Fuzzily, he realized that there was a silencer on the barrel. Jack had shown him one before. The fire on his chest caused him to cough and as he fell, he was vaguely aware of the soldier pressing the B4 button. It led to the supply floor. _No one would be down there for a long time. No one would find me_ , Daniel thought weakly as he struggled to press the elevator alarm. The soldier kicked his hand away and calmly got off on the B2 floor and stood there watching Daniel black out before the elevator doors closed. 

* * *

Unable to catch up with Daniel Jackson, Teal'c took the adjacent elevator and got off at B2. To his surprise, Teal'c saw that the soldier got off instead of Daniel. He thought it strange when the soldier just stood there, watching the elevator before heading for an exit nearby. Why did he want B2 then? Teal'c saw the numbers lighted on top and saw that the elevator was heading for B4 now. 

_Perhaps Daniel Jackson needed supplies_ , Teal'c thought deciding to help the scientist. The alien warrior entered back the elevator and pressed for B4. 

* * *

Daniel was _dying_. 

The blood on the floor told him this fact. He didn't feel any pain, just the slick feeling of his bloody clothes. The elevator finally opened its door to an empty hallway. Daniel tried to get up, but found he had no strength in his arms. In fact, his legs felt weak, too. _You have to get up_. Daniel whispered to himself. _Get up!_ Daniel's inner voice screamed as he dragged himself out of the elevator with his arms. He got halfway out when he heard the neighboring elevator coming to a stop. At first he thought that it was help, but suddenly feared that perhaps it was that unknown soldier, back to check on if he had succeeded in killing him. 

_Have to get back in the elevator_ , Daniel thought but could make no moves. The hallway looked huge. To crawl back the few feet to the elevator was too far. Daniel was gasping already with the exertion. But Daniel knew that he had to survive, to warn the general and his friends. He couldn't die yet; he had to save Shau-ri. Daniel could not die yet- 

Teal'c got off the elevator and was about to call out to Daniel, when he noticed a crumpled figure, halfway in the elevator. Blood stained the floor tiles around him. Teal'c ran with a shout when he realized that it was the scientist. Not waiting to check if he was still alive, T'ealc gathered his friend up in his arms and punched the elevator for the infirmary. As the elevator doors closed, Teal'c cursed in his own language at his stupidity. 

"Teal'c?" Daniel whispered, not opening his eyes. 

"I am taking you to help, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c said, looking down at his injured comrade. "Do not speak, conserve your strength." 

"I wasn't military." Daniel whispered as he winced in pain. The numbness had faded and the full-blown impact of the shots was back. "He said I was a problem." He gasped as his lungs gave him pain with each breath. His friend just tightened his grip on him. Daniel felt his eyes grow heavy. _Don't sleep_ , he told himself franticly. 

"Glowing." Daniel whispered. Unable to continue, Daniel felt his head lolled against Teal'c before the darkness swept over him. Thankfully, the darkness swept out the pain and Daniel couldn't remember anymore why it was important that he needed to stay awake. 

Teal'c couldn't understand what his friend was saying. Before he could answer him, the doors open to a hallway. He ignored the alarmed looks of the soldiers and just roared for them to move out of his way. Teal'c didn't even realized he had reverted back to his own tongue again. 

* * *

"Nothing else to report, sir." Jack shuffled papers back into a folder, handing it to the general. Carter eyed the colonel with amusement. The colonel looked bored. 

"Not every mission would have bad guys, Colonel O'Neill." The general smiled, noticing his bored expression, too. The general wasn't one to be offended. 

"Thank god." Carter quipped. 

Before the general could continue, they heard a thunderous shout outside. Jack recognized it as Teal'c, speaking in his native tongue. There was a commotion outside the briefing room. Carter opened the door and gasped at what she saw. 

Teal'c was running down the hallway to its end, where the infirmary was. Some had already ran ahead to let Doctor Frasier know. In his arms, the warrior was carrying- 

"Daniel!" Carter gasped as Jack went for the door to see what was going on. The colonel just bolted out of the room to the infirmary. By the time Jack arrived at the infirmary, Teal'c was empty handed, his burden taken over by the female doctor, who didn't notice the colonel as she barked orders to the surrounding medical aides. 

"Pulse 110 b.p.m." one reported as he pumped up the pressure cuff around Daniel's upper arm. 

"Blood pressure 180 over 100." 

"I need three pints of AB negative blood, stat." 

"Give me a reading in the EKG." 

Suddenly, the heart monitor that was hooked up to Daniel emitted a long beep, indicating that his heart stopped. Carter, who had just caught up with the colonel, gave a gasp as she recognized what that meant. 

It was then, that the doctor noticed the three, rooted at the doorway of the medical room. As she prepared the electric paddles to shock back their friend's heart; she jerked her head towards the door. 

"Out." She ordered as the nurse shouted that the paddles were fully charged. She placed the paddles over the sides of Daniel's chest. The electric shock jerked the body upward slightly. The doctor frowned as the nurse shook his head. There was no pulse. 

"Once more." The doctor said. She glanced back at the three. "Get out of here. You're not doing any good here." She applied the paddles once more. 

_Beep._

"I've got a pulse." The nurse announced as the doctor nodded curtly, already barking orders to the other medics. 

Carter released the breath that she didn't realized she had held. She placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and tugged at Teal'c. The two men reluctantly left to go wait in the meeting room. 


	2. Chapter 2

The soldier observed the three leaving the room. His eyes glowed behind his shades. The whispering in his head grew louder, angry that he had failed. The civilian is unpredictable, does not follow orders, a risk to the cause. The soldier clenched his fists and took a step forward. 

"Hey Gary!" 

Pausing, the soldier turned around to a thin soldier, who was jogging up to him. The whispering told him that his name was Turner, his comrade in the SG-5 team. Turner was calling him Gary. Frowning, the soldier wondered why he couldn't remember that fact so quickly. 

"Hey Gary. What's the rush?" Turner grinned. His smile faded when he saw the commotion down the hall. "What's going on down there?" 

"The scientist was shot." Gary said flatly. He continued on down the hall. Somehow he had to deter Turner from following him. Gary needed to complete his mission-to destroy the scientist and eliminating all security risks to the project. Project? The whispering ceased as he tried to remember what the project was. Why couldn't he remember? The whispering returned, telling him to not be distracted. He was a soldier, wasn't he? A good soldier doesn't question orders, he acts upon them. 

"You mean Jackson?" Turner whistled, glancing at the closed medical doors. Two guards stood there stoically. "Was he injured during their mission?" 

"Probably." Gary said, continuing further down the hall, frustrated that he couldn't get in to finish his mission. 

"First you, now Jackson." Turner groaned. "This isn't good, I tell you." 

Gary stopped. He was injured? He vaguely remembered a planet, wet and damp from the rainforests that covered it. The enemy was lurking there, guarding a mine. When they had arrived, there was barely enough time to react. He remembered an alien soldier jumping on top of him. A pain in the back of his neck- 

"Gary? You okay? You know, I don't think those doctors in Washington were much help for you." Turner looked at his comrade with concern. "You were better off here with Doc Frasier." 

Gary merely grunted. Turner shrugged, pounded his comrade on the back and left to relieve his shift. Gary stared at Turner's back, disturbed that he couldn't recall that mission, but the whispering returned and he could now only think of his new mission. 

* * *

"It was a soldier." Teal'c stated flatly in the meeting room. The colonel, Carter, and the general stared at the alien warrior with disbelief. 

"Are you saying that one of our men shot Doctor Jackson?" The general stood up from his seat, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Are you sure, Teal'c?" 

"I saw him followed Daniel Jackson as soon as we returned from the Stargate. I thought it strange." Teal'c paused, a guilty look passed over his dark face. "I did not hurry to join Daniel Jackson in the elevator. He was alone with the soldier." 

"It wasn't your fault." Jack said quietly. "You couldn't have know." 

"One of ours." Carter whispered in shock. "How could this be?" She whirred around to Teal'c. "Could he had been taken over by a Go'uald?" 

"I did not see his eyes. I was too far away." 

"How could one of our soldiers be infected?" Jack interrupted. "We go through examination right after we return. Something like that couldn't just slip past that." 

"I do not know, O'Neill." Teal'c admitted. "But I know for certain that Daniel Jackson is still in danger, until we find him." 

"We'll do a search of the complex. It could be an imposter." The general said as he picked up the phone. Punching an interoffice number, he made a few requests. 

"We'll also need to get a hold of the elevator's security cameras and take a closer look." 

Just then, Doctor Frasier walked in. The doctor's lab coat was covered in blood, her gloves still on. She walked over to the group, nodding to the general as a way of apology for interrupting. The three got up in anticipation. 

"He's got a hole in his abdomen. One bullet ricochet around his ribcage before lodging to his third rib. There's a bit of internal bleeding, but if no other complications arise, he's going to make it." 

Jack grinned, whispering a victory while Carter grinned up to Teal'c. The alien warrior was whispering a word of thanks to his deities. The doctor smiled tiredly, glad that it was good news she delivered this time. Needing to get back to her patient, she started to leave when she paused. She took out a small DAT tape from her pocket. A bullet was lodged in its middle. She gave it to the general. 

"I don't know if it's salvageable, but I think it already served its purpose." The doctor paused before continuing. "The tape was in the top pocket in Doctor Jackson's jacket. It stopped the bullet from entering his heart. That bullet would have killed him instantly." With that, she nodded at the soldiers and left. 

Carter took the tape and examined it, shuddering to think what would have happened if Daniel hadn't had this in his pocket, on his way to the labs to have it analyzed. She didn't want to imagine it. Even more, Carter didn't want to believe that a possessed soldier is wandering around the base, possibly getting out to the world outside. Who knows what damage could happen then? 

As if reading her mind, Jack turned to the general. His jaw was set as he decided on what needed to be done. 

"General, we need to quarantine this base until we can find the culprit." Jack glanced over to his friend T'ealc, "If he didn't left the building already. We also need a guard by Daniel." 

"I will guard Daniel Jackson." Teal'c interrupted, stepping forward. 

"I wasn't going to ask anyone else, Teal'c." Jack said, already guessing that Teal'c would volunteer. The alien warrior was high in honor and loyalty. If guarding Daniel would ease his undeserved guilt, so be it. 

General Hammond nodded, agreeing that this was the best method and was already on the phone giving out orders. The remainder of the group went to see Daniel. 

The two guards at the doors of the infirmary saluted to Jack sharply before stepping aside. Jack stopped himself from staring, checking to see if their eyes glowed. As he went in, he glanced over to his two other companions and realized that they were doing the same thing. The shooting had left them paranoid. If it really was a Go'uald occupying a human soldier's mind, the only evidence of the infection is through the eerie glow of the eyes, a residual effect from the parasite invasion. 

Carter sucked in her breath as she sees Daniel. The bed was at a far corner, away from the doorways. The monitors that surrounded the bed were constantly beeping and flashing heartbeats, the pulse rate, and temperature. Daniel was tucked firmly in bed, a breathing mask over his mouth, and an IV attached to his arm. Carter hated to see him so lifeless, his eyes shut with pain, his blond hair damp with his fevered sweat. She wanted to hear him go on about artifacts, his theories that the academic world had dismissed as nonsense and the lecturing he was always giving them about the value of cultural appreciation. Carter sat down on the stool besides the bed and touched his arm hesitantly, wondering if he would wake up just with a touch. Daniel didn't react at all. 

"He's going to be alright, Carter." Jack said quietly, sitting down besides her. "He's our space monkey, remember?" The colonel was referring to the nickname he gave Daniel when the Egyptologist miraculously escaped the Go'uald battleship when everyone else thought he was dead. 

Carter laughed softly at the nickname. "Daniel can't stand that name. It stuck and now everyone is calling him Doctor Space Monkey." 

"Oops." Jack said. Teal'c smiled at Jack's failed attempt to look apologetic. 

The group sobered when they realized that it would probably be a long time before Daniel could recover and tell them what had happened. Jack frowned, not liking the idea that the shooter was still around. 

"Did Daniel say anything to you?" Jack asked Teal'c. The warrior shook his head. Then Teal'c paused, a thin eyebrow rose up in speculation. 

"What?" Carter asked, "Did you think of something, Teal'c?" 

"Perhaps." Teal'c muttered, glancing down at Daniel as if almost for a confirmation. "Daniel Jackson had said that he was not military. He said that he was a problem." 

Shaking his head, Jack looked at Daniel, too. "That doesn't make any sense." 

"Glowing." Teal'c suddenly said, his head lifted as he recalled that final word Daniel spoke before losing consciousness. 

"Glowing?" Carter leaned forward in thought. "Do you mean his eyes were glowing?" 

"I do not know. That was all Daniel Jackson said." 

"I don't like it." Jack suddenly said, getting up abruptly. "Come on Carter. We better check out those surveillance tapes." The two started to leave when Jack turned around again. 

Teal'c made no move to follow. He had taken Carter's seat, sitting by Daniel's side. Jack nodded to him solemnly, making no attempt to call him over. The colonel knew that Teal'c would not feel any better if he weren't the one to guard Daniel. Teal'c bowed his head slightly in thanks for the colonel understanding. The alien warrior sat very still, by his friend's bedside, his eyes alert. 

The other two proceeded to the labs where the general was waiting for the technicians to play the surveillance tapes from the elevators. Motioning them to take a seat, the general scanned the black and white video. Two figures facing each other, possibly talking, in the elevator. One of them pulled out their gun and fired. Carter flinched when the other figure, Daniel Jackson, stumbled back and slid down against the elevator wall. With a kick, the other figure left and stood there watching the doors closed. 

"Damn." Jack muttered. He knew what to expect, but watching the actual shooting left him cold inside. To see his friend so coldly shot down like that was unsettling and in no way, calm his seething anger. 

"I don't see any of the faces clearly." The general commented quietly. 

"He's wearing a hat." Jack agreed, "The man knew where the cameras were." 

"What about the cameras in the Gate room?" Carter wanted to know. 

"The man was hiding in the background." A technician spoke up, handing her another tape. "Couldn't get a good shot of him." 

"He knew what he was doing." Jack said grimly. 

"It was planned." Carter added. 

General Hammond studied the two solemnly. He wondered what they were thinking. The general knew that they were upset. The team had always return from their dangerous missions unscathed. To have team members attacked in their home, where they were suppose to be safe, made the attack more upsetting. 

* * *

The soldier the others had called Gary, strode down the hallway until he reached the barracks. Pausing, the soldier was a bit disturbed that he couldn't recall where his quarters were. The soldier glanced at the names until he found his. Entering with the key he found in his pockets, the soldier entered a sparse room with a double bunk and two lockers. A desk with a stack of books was propped up against one wall. The soldier named Gary could not recall whose books they were, but knew some of his belongings were on that desk. Approaching the desk, he glanced at the large mirror hanging besides it. With a shout, he backed away at what he saw. As the soldier had glanced by chance at the mirror, he saw his eyes glowed iridescent red. His eyes widened, his chest heaving as if he was running hard, the soldier took another look at the mirror. His eyes looked normal again. 

_This wasn't the first time_ , the voice echoed in his head. 

Gary shook his head furiously. "No, no, no!" he shouted within his closed quarters. The soldier banged his head onto the mirror, shattering it with a piercing shriek. The glass cut his forehead and the soldier involuntarily backed away; one hand up to his self inflicted wound. As the soldier took his hand away, he was surprised to see no blood. Not really wanting to, he glanced at the mirror. Despite the mirror being broken, the soldier could clearly see that the cut on his forehead was gone. 

_I can heal your pain_. The voice in his head was back. _I can give you power_. Gary stared at the mirror once more and stared back at the broken images of him. The eyes glowed once more, but instead of being frightened, the soldier now seemed pleased. 

_The leaders of your world made us a bargain_. The voice said in a soft tone. Gary frowned as he tried to recall the days he was in the hospital. Two uniformed men from the Pentagon had approached him just after surgery. They had little sympathy for his pain. Instead, the men were more interested in the results the doctor-in-charge had found during the surgery. They said that Gary could make a major contribution to his country and took him back to Washington. Gary couldn't remember much of his trip there. It was like sitting in the back of his mind, watching someone else move his limbs, make words with his mouth, and shake hands with the uniformed men. 

_It was agreed that we kill the scientist to show our faith in the bargain, Gary_. The voice cooed to him as the soldier began to pick up the pieces of the broken mirror before his roommate returns to discover this. The scientist is an outcast; his ideas do not conform to your leaders. He is a threat to my existence, too. 

"He's not military." Gary echoed the words the people in Washington had told him. "A hazard to the mission. Too unpredictable." 

_He must be eliminated before he can decipher all our secrets, Gary_. The voice continued, delighted that the soldier was agreeing. _Then we can be merged completely and be whole_. The voice went on, its tone a bit annoyed. _When you killed my host, severing me before I could escape, I needed to heal immediately. How ironic that it would be you, my killer, that becomes my body. But the process was incomplete due to my injuries and I can not communicate to you too clearly. My powers are still weak, but I can still be very useful to you_. 

Gary just nodded, not really understanding what the voice was saying. All he could think of was the mission. He couldn't tell anyone, else alerting the scientist, who would then corrupt the rest of the base's minds. The group that was paired with the scientist had become weak, wanting to negotiate with alien impurities and not take their knowledge. While stellar powers around them were gaining power, they had become comparatively weaker. _We are too weak to defend ourselves_. 

_You are too weak to grasp the opportunity this Stargate has offered you-the conquering of a universe. Think of the power, Gary. You could lead your people to a new evolution_. 

Gary grinned to himself, not realizing he had cut his hand when picking up the glass. Gary also didn't notice that the cut was already healing.


	3. Chapter 3

The tape revealed nothing of use. In fact, it had revealed nothing also for the past six times Jack and Carter had been looking at it. Carter massaged her neck wearily and proceeded to rewind the elevator's surveillance tapes once more. The shooter aimed his gun again, the flash refracted inside the elevator's walls like lightening. Her friend slumped down to the floor once more- 

"Damn it!" Jack said, thumping his fist down on the table to punctuate it. Carter jumped, but just set her jaw and continued on with her viewing. "Carter, you're still not going to see anything on that tape!" 

_But at least I am doing something_ , thought Carter as she sighed to herself. However, Carter didn't felt like they were doing much. Daniel had not regained consciousness. _At least Teal'c is guarding Daniel_ , Carter thought, _we're sitting on our hands here_. Carter was viewing what was obviously a useless piece of tape, while listening to her commanding officer pace back and forth. She refrained herself from snapping at him to stop pacing. Carter could understand Jack's concern, more than the colonel would care to admit to himself. She knew Jack was worried about Daniel, more than the concern for breach of security as he so claimed to be worried about. Carter wondered how much the colonel was willing to admit that he was worried. Glancing back at Jack, the pacing he was absorbed into revealed just how worried he was. 

"Daniel is going to be okay." Carter repeated what he had told them back at the infirmary, more to convince her than to Jack. 

"I know, Carter." Jack looked annoyed as if Carter had broken some taboo by saying that. "Daniel may be a geek, but he's gotten to be a tough geek." 

Carter smiled briefly. To her relief, Jack stopped pacing and plopped himself down on a chair. He glared at the computer screen that was behind her, like as if he was daring the computer to suddenly come up with a clue. 

"How do you look for one man in a facility of hundreds?" Jack muttered, his eyes glued at the paused frame of the shooter in the elevator. "Especially if you don't even know what he looks like." 

"General Hammond is having the staff checking the whereabouts of everyone when the incident had occurred." Carter couldn't bring herself to say when Daniel was shot. 

Jack winced as if he realized Carter's deliberate choice of words. "That takes time, Carter. Unless," he cocked an eyebrow at the captain, "you have some computer up your sleeve that can speed up the process." 

"I'll see what I can _macgyver_ for you, sir." Carter grinned wanly. She looked at the computer screen with the frozen screen shot. Her grin faded into a grimace, not really eager to view the tape again. 

"It's like a bad movie, isn't it Carter?" Jack murmured in complete understanding. His eyes were glued to the back of her blond head. "Bad enough once, but twice?" 

"And after the sixth, you feel like you want to throw up." Carter sighed as she leaned over to release the VCR's hold on the screen. Her reflection on the glass showed her the shadows under her eyes, the weary lines lightly tracing her face, and the increasing slump of her shoulders. Carter could also see Jack's reflection behind her, his eyes still averted away from the screen. 

_My reflection_ , Carter ruefully thought as she massaged out the cricks from her neck, _probably looks better than I did_. 

_My reflection_. Carter's hands stopped its soothing movement as Carter stared back at the faint reflection staring wide eye back at her. _My reflection_. 

"Carter?" Jack inquired, noting the captain suddenly sitting up straighter, her back stiff with excitement. 

"God, I must be really tired." Carter said in a stunned voice. "My reflection, of course." 

Jack turned his head sharply back to the screen. He didn't see anything. The screen was frozen again at the time of firing. The gunpowder flash was stark white against the metallic walls of the elevator. _Metallic_ , Jack sat up in his seat, too. 

Carter, sensing Jack was catching on, couldn't stop her words from flooding out of her as she continued. "My god, the walls could refract light, why not reflect? Colonel. _Jack_. The cameras might not have gotten a clear view of the shooter, but-" 

"The walls might." Jack finished the sentence for her. His grim mood lightened a little and he clapped Carter's shoulders. "Guess I didn't need that computer after all. Got my own walking and talking version here. Didn't even need Windows something or other to work it." 

"98, sir." Carter corrected automatically, before even realizing she had opened her mouth. She grinned, leaning forward to eject the tape out. Grasping the rectangular object, she knew where she could go to get the tape checked out. "We still need a computer, sir. The labs have those RX-347s for digitizing the probe's images for detail retraction. If I-" 

"Go." Jack gave her a gentle push. Carter grinned down at him and left the room in a hurry. 

Jack listened to her boots stomp away from the room he was in, until it faded away. He sighed, wondering if that was going to be enough. _If we find him, I want first rights at him. Maybe even a couple of lefts at him, too_. The colonel got up, stretching out, and decided to do something besides moping around. 

* * *

Teal'c glanced over at Daniel, out of the corner of his eye. The scientist was still in bed, still unconscious since he was brought in here. Teal'c wondered if Daniel was in any pain. Fraiser told him that the surgery was a success, all the bullets out without any major damage to the organs. Yes, there was massive blood loss, but a transfusion fixed that. 

The Jaafa didn't understand her complex Earth terms. He repeated his question again to her. Fraiser paused before shaking her head. 

_"Doctor Jackson is sedated, Teal'c. We gave him painkillers. He's not feeling any physical pain_." 

Physical pain was not what Teal'c was concerned with. He knew the scientist was sensitive. In the past, as a royal First Prime to Apophis, Teal'c was taught to believe people like Daniel were weak, useless, and unpredictable. _They think too much, hardly fight and most unwilling to believe in the self appointed gods_. When Teal'c joined them, he discovered that this was what they called humanity. It was what finally drove Ra out. The human side of a person- willing to sacrifice, to risk, to _care. What is he thinking right now_? Teal'c wondered if his friend was frighten right now. Does he know that he is protected right now? Teal'c remembered the look of confusion on Daniel's face as Teal'c carried him to the infirmary. Daniel couldn't understand why this was done to him. _Teal'c_ couldn't understand. 

"Has he waken up at all, Teal'c." Jack murmured, approaching the bed with a bit of hesitation. 

"Daniel Jackson has not awaken." 

Jack cocked his head slightly as the tone. "Are you okay?" 

"I was not injured. Daniel Jackson was." Teal'c eyed the sleeping face, wondering if the Egyptologist was aware of their presence. 

"No. I mean, are you _okay_?" Jack sat on a seat next to him. 

"I do not understand what has happened here." Teal'c admitted. "I would have expected an attack on me perhaps, because I was the Traitor." 

Jack grimly nodded, not liking the way Teal'c called himself that. It almost sounded like a shield of shame in the way he said it. If Teal'c hadn't turned against his master Apophis, they would not be here today. 

"Daniel Jackson is a scribe. A...scientist?" Jack nodded at the correct pronunciation. "Why did the enemy decided that Daniel Jackson was a threat?" 

"I don't know, Teal'c." Jack reluctantly admitted. "That's the frustrating part of this mess. The why, that is." 

"We will find them." Teal'c made it sound almost like a question. 

"Yes, we will." 

* * *

Carter sighed as she waited for the computer to extrapolate a model image on the screen. The pixels of the blown up reflection they had found were slowly developing. _Ten million dollars in equipment and I can't get a decent picture taken_ , Carter ruefully thought. She winced; realizing that was something Jack would say. _I have been hanging around the colonel too long_ , Carter moaned _I'm getting his weird sense of humor, too_. 

The technicians apologetically told Carter that it would take a few minutes for the picture to develop. Carter nodded, with every full intention to wait it out. There was nothing else she could do at this point. It felt like a repeat performance. _I really hate waiting_ , Carter thought as she got herself settled down on a seat. 

* * *

The voice was displeased. The human named Gary pursed his lips as he calculated the risk. Two guards were posted on the outside of the infirmary. Rumor was that Teal'c was inside, guarding the scientist. Impossible to get in and improbable on getting out. 

_Time is essential, Gary. We can not wait too long and risk discovery_. 

Gary frowned as he tried to remember the guards' names. They were in the same unit as he, but their faces drew no instant names. _It's not important_. No, Gary decided, it wasn't important. _We will have to take care of him later. Use the time wisely_. 

Next target. Gary eyed the hallways, which he vaguely recalled led to the labs. He had heard the technicians talked of the woman Carter. She was on the road of discovering the identity of the shooter. Yes, Carter. She would have to be next. 

_She was tainted_ , the voice hissed. _Touched by the To'kra and access to the memories the traitor race left behind when it died to save Carter's life. She could betray us as well_. 

So Carter it shall be, Gary decided. He turned and walked by the guarded infirmary, giving the right nods to the guards as if casually walking by. As he rounded the deserted corner, his eyes began to glow again. He knew no longer of Gary, but of only a mission. 

_Carter could betray us as well_. 

Carter stretched as she tried to get the kinks out. The screen was almost done. The small spot of light on the elevator wall, that they focused on, just behind the shooter's profile, was coming into clearer shades of gray. Carter could see the reflection define shapes now. She leaned closer to the screen, as if she believed the action would speed up the process. An outline of a cap was appearing out of the pixel mist. She sees the profile of an angular jaw next. Something else, on the face was beginning to form... 

"May I be of some assistance, Captain Carter?" 

Startled, Carter pried her eyes away from the screen to see a young soldier standing before her. His cap shadowed his eyes, the fluorescent lights of the lab was behind him. It gave him an eerie glow around the edges. _Carter, your imagination is running wild_ , Carter scolded herself as she smiled. 

"Not unless you can speed up a CRAY computer and increase resolution for me, lieutenant." Carter winced. More and more, she was beginning to suspect that Jack's wry humor was rubbing off on her. 

The computer beeped, signaling the completion of its task. Carter eagerly turned around to see when the soldier abruptly leaned over her and shut the computer off. 

"Hey- what are you doing?" Carter started to say when she stopped. A chill went down her spine when she saw the man turned around and got a better look at his eyes. 

"To'kra cheeta no logrua nee." The soldier grabbed her firmly by the arms, pinning her to her chair. "Nee chakra Guada qi." 

_Guada_! Carter recognized the word for some reason but didn't have the indulgence to think about it because right then and there- all hell broke loose.


	4. Chapter 4

The computer keyboard was the closest thing Carter could reach for, but first she had to get her hands freed. She abruptly brought up her knee, hitting the soldier's abdomen hard. Stunned, the soldier released her out of reflex. Seeing the opportunity, Carter grabbed the keyboard, its cable snapped free and she swung it at him. When the soldier had her pinned, Carter had already figured that he was much too big for her to physically take on. She just wished the technicians hadn't already left. Quick action was the key here. She swung it for his upper body, but the soldier had recovered too quickly and avoided the possibly disastrous blow with ease. 

Red eyes glowing, the soldier grabbed the keyboard and tossed it aside. Carter leaped away as he tried to grab her. 

"Filthy To'kra!" the soldier shouted, furious at his inability to catch her. The voice echoed of two men, a clear sign that he was possessed by a Go'uald. 

_Door! Got to get to the door!_ Carter feints left and then made a dash for the door. The soldier tackled her around the ankles and she came down hard on the floor, banging her forehead. Stars flooded her vision for a moment, but Carter shook her head to clear it just in time to see the soldier pull his weapon out. _Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!_ Carter rolled away and kicked his feet out from under him. 

"Traitorous bitch!" the soldier howled in such anger in his dual voice that Carter couldn't suppress the shiver that went down her spine. 

"That is not a nice thing to say to a lady." Carter gasped out as she ducked under a metal cabinet just before he fired. The bullet flew out, tearing through the thin metal and whizzed by her ear. It was so close; Carter felt a breeze as it zipped by. It had made no sound. _A silencer_ , Carter realized with a chill that it was probably the same gun used on Daniel. Carter felt a knot of anger in her throat. She wished she had her gun. _Bastard_ , Carter thought; for a brief moment, she forgot about the soldier and just thought only of the parasitic enemy. Normally, Carter sympathized with the human, who was innocent of his actions under the invading parasite but her anger made her forget. _Just one bullet_ , Carter wished fervently as the bullets punched through her pathetic shield without any warning sound. Payback was one thing, surviving was another and that was overriding her thirst for vengeance right now. 

Carter spared a calculating glance to the door and the alarm that she knew was there by memory. _Eleven feet, can I make it?_ The other bullet made the decision for her. _Not a good chance, but better than none_. For the hundredth time, Carter wished she carried her sidearm as she had seen Jack does, but she often spent time at the labs when not on a mission and guns weren't necessary there. 

Carter could just kick herself in the pants right now. 

At the click of an empty gun magazine, Carter took a deep breath and ran for the door. Just as she reached the door, the clicking sounds signaled that the gun was reloaded. Carter barely got the knob twisted open when she felt a sharp pain to her head. The door flew open and she staggered out of the room. Her legs lost its stability and she stumbled to the ground, but not before giving a loud cry. As she hit the floor, Carter became aware of three things. First were the soldier's footsteps coming right at her, second was that she dimly heard responding footsteps from down the hallway, and the last thing was that the pain she felt was from a bullet. 

_I've been shot in the head_ , Carter thought numbly. As her vision melted away, Carter became aware of a pair of hands and she wasn't sure if they were friend or foe. 

* * *

"J-jac?" 

With a start, Jack jerked himself awake. Teal'c turned around from his guarding stance by the curtained off area. His stiff shoulders seem to relax a bit as he realized that the voice was from Daniel Jackson. Jack had decided to wait by Daniel's bedside in hopes of Daniel awakening. 

"There's our boy." Jack said with a relieved grin to Teal'c. He leaned forward to hear Daniel better. The oxygen mask was muffling what Daniel was saying. When the groggy scientist realized that, he feebly tried to remove it. Jack shook his head, brushing Daniel's weak hands away from the mask. After a few attempts, however, Jack sighed and helped Daniel. 

"Only for a few minutes, okay?" Jack turned around, about to ask Teal'c to get Doctor Fraiser but saw that the Jaafa had already read his mind. 

"W-where?" 

"In the infirmary, Daniel." Jack could see the confusion in his eyes. The colonel fought the urge to start pressing him for details. "Do you remember why, Daniel?" 

Daniel's eyebrows knitted together as he sought for a memory. He looked at Jack, a bit worried and confused. "I-I'm not sure." Daniel took a deep breath, then winced at the pain. "Ow." 

"Take it easy, Danny." Jack said quietly, his hand rested on Daniel's forehead. "Never mind. Forget I asked." 

The presence of Jack's hand seemed to clear the confusion in Daniel's eyes. "Shot?" Daniel managed out. He tried to take another deep breath again but ended up coughing. 

"Easy, easy." Jack's other hand laid gently on Daniel's chest to still him. "Don't go scary on me here. Yes, you were shot." 

"G-gun?" Daniel asked, his mind still hazy on the details. 

"No, by a camera." Jack grinned at Daniel, getting a weak smile from the scientist. 

"Ha-ha," Daniel replied as he winced. Daniel looked scared. "J-jack, there's something I'm suppose to re-remember." His breathing quickened as he continued. "It was important, Jack." 

"It can wait." Jack lied, stroking Daniel's forehead to calm him down. 

"Yes, it can." Doctor Fraiser interrupted as she briskly went over to the bedside. Teal'c was right behind her, his eyes dark with worry. She did a quick examination, asked Daniel to cough for her and listened to his chest with her stethoscope. Jack waited through this with barely contained impatience. When she was done, Fraiser gave Daniel a reassuring pat to his arm and motioned Jack and Teal'c to step outside of the curtained area. 

"Well?" Jack demanded as soon as they were a few feet away. 

"Is Daniel Jackson well?" Teal'c asked, his eyes glued to the curtained area. 

"Daniel is recovering just fine. There's a bit of fever that I'm concerned with, but we'll monitor it carefully. He's going to have to stay here until it goes down and we can move him to the military hospital." 

"Daniel couldn't remember what happen to him." Jack said, his initial fears gone with Doctor Fraiser's reassuring diagnosis. 

"Patients often suffer from temporary memory loss due to traumatic events. It will come back to him if his recovery goes well." Fraiser looked at Jack with understanding, "But I guess that it wouldn't be fast enough for us to catch our man." 

"No." Jack murmured, a bit frustrated, "Although Carter may have something for us." 

"Well then I suggest you wait for Captain Carter instead because I won't have you upsetting Daniel, Colonel O'Neill." Fraiser looked back at the curtained off area where Daniel was, "It's going to be a delicate recovery and I don't want him worrying over bad memories in his condition." 

* * *

_Fool. You have failed again. How could you let this happen? **Pain**. You are a failure as my host. I do not wish to be with you anymore. Find me another. **Pain**._

* * *

"What happened here?" 

"An intruder. I heard shots fired and I came to investigate. I found Captain Carter on the floor." 

"Did you see who did this?" 

"No, sir." 

"Lasting, get me a gurney here." 

"Do you wish me to accompany her, sir?" 

"What? Oh, yes. Good idea, lieutenant. What's your name?" 

"Harper. Gary Harper, sir."


	5. Chapter 5

_This host body is not cooperating. The transfer was incomplete. You're not listening. The fool humans must have known. Mission. Mission! That is all you can think of. Fool! Do not get yourself caught!_

_"You're not military."_

_The shots fired out silently, only the abrupt flashes of light told of the bullets' departure from the pistol's barrel. Flashes of fire in his chest then accompanied the flashes of light. Burning, burning. Can't breathe. Sha'uri. God, I'm sorry-_

A hand on his forehead kept Daniel from bolting up from his bed. It gently pushed his head back down onto his pillow. Daniel, however, probably didn't need much to push him back down. The constant ache in his chest was enough to stop him and Daniel knew that once the painkillers fade away, it would be a lot worse. 

"For crying out loud, Daniel." An exasperated voice said as the hand lifted away. "You're not exactly ready for acrobatics yet." 

"Acrobatics?" a deep voice inquired. Teal'c. 

"Yeah. It's something that Daniel shouldn't be doing right now." Jack's face came to focus. He sounded annoyed but the worried eyes and crooked grin betrayed the colonel's concern. "Only thing he should be doing is to lie down on this bed and stare at the ceiling." 

"That does not sound like doing anything, O'Neill." Teal'c pointed out. 

"Exactly." 

Daniel smiled wanly; knowing Jack was doing the comedy routine for his benefit. "Where's Sam?" 

"Nice to see you, too." Jack sarcastically said, not angry at all. 

"Captain Carter is blowing a picture." Teal'c tried to explain as Jack sputtered. 

"Blowing up a picture, Teal'c! Blowing up!" 

"Is it not the same?" 

"No." Jack said firmly. "Not by a looong shot." 

"My apologies." 

"S'all right." 

"Jack?" Daniel interrupted, despite the fact that he was enjoying the exchange, "Picture?" 

"Of the elevator where you were shot." Teal'c explained, not catching the warning look Jack was trying to give him. 

"Of the elevator where you were shot." Teal'c explained, not catching the warning look Jack was trying to give him. 

Jack passed another look to Teal'c with a frown. "Yeah, Danny. Just take it easy-" 

"I wasn't military." Daniel whispered. 

"What?" Jack remembered Teal'c saying that before. "What do you mean? What are you remembering, Daniel?" Jack leaned forward, his curiosity taking over his concerns for upsetting Daniel. 

"He said that I wasn't military." Daniel's eyes glazed over at the memory. Jack placed his hand over Daniel's forehead again. The slight heat that was emulating from Daniel's forehead worried Jack. "H-he said that I was a problem." Daniel shifted uneasily in his bed. 

"Easy, Danny." Jack tried to soothe the younger man. His voice was calm, but inside Jack was boiling. _Not military? What the hell did that bastard mean by that?_

"Do you remember a face?" Jack hesitantly asked, eyes on Daniel's face. The younger man frowned, trying to concentrate. After a few moments, he regretfully shook his head. 

"No. Sorry, Jack." Daniel started to say when Jack stopped him. 

"Don't worry about it." Jack said, stressing the point. "Carter is _blowing up_ ," Jack's eyes darted back to Teal'c, getting a lifted eyebrow from the Jaafa, "a frame of the elevator's security cameras right now so we should know at any moment. We'll get the guy, Danny." 

"B-but-" Daniel wanted to say something, but he stopped, as he couldn't extract what it was. Frustration was written in his pale face. Jack absently patted his arm reassuringly. 

"Doc said it would come back sooner or later. Or not at all." Jack studied Daniel for a moment. "Don't worry about it, Daniel." _Maybe it's better that you don't remember at all_ , Jack added mentally as he recalled the video. 

"His eyes." Daniel said suddenly. He almost sat up anxiously, but Jack firmly pushed him back down onto the bed. 

"We know, Daniel." 

"You told me before you loss consciousness, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c reminded the young scientist. "You said that his eyes were glowing." 

"No, no." Daniel shook his head. "They were glowing, but-" Daniel didn't realize he was shivering until Jack placed his hand on his arm again. 

"Take it easy, Danny." Jack darted a concerned glance to Teal'c, wondering if they should get the doctor over here. 

"They were glowing," Daniel started again, "but they were red. Jack, they weren't glowing like the Go'uald. It was like something else totally." Daniel shivered again. 

Jack frowned as he considered this new piece of news. "Daniel, a re you sure? Maybe you're not remembering things correctly-" 

"No! I'm certain, Jack!" Daniel clutched at Jack's forearm, his eyes wide with alarm. "You didn't catch him yet? God, Jack. He might not even be Go'uald!" 

"I believe he is, Daniel Jackson." 

Jack turned his head sharply towards Teal'c. "You know what he's talking about, Teal'c?" 

"Perhaps." Teal'c reluctantly replied. 

"Well, give!" Jack said, his voice a lot sharper than he had intended. He uncurl Daniel's fingers from his arm, absently give Daniel's hand a pat, "Last I recall, Go'uald glowed but they weren't bloodshot." 

"Guada." Teal'c simply said. Jack shrugged as the term gave him no particular clue. 

"The damaged ones?" Daniel translated, recognizing a word from Abydos. 

"Scarred." Teal'c corrected Daniel. "They are Go'uald, but different." 

"Like the To'kra." Jack mused. 

"Yes, but they were legend only. A child's tale to frighten the young to obedience." 

"Like the boogey man." Daniel volunteered. 

"Boogey?" Teal'c echoed, with another lifted eyebrow. At Jack's shrug, the Jaafa continued. "They were those born imperfect. Not of gods, but of demons. They were destroyed at birth once discovered and never to be mentioned." 

"Go'ualds strive for perfection in everything, including in their hosts." Daniel mused, "It would be like them to destroy their own if their standards are not met." 

"They corrupt their hosts." Teal'c recalled this fact. 

"Like as if Go'ualds don't?" Jack commented with an eyebrow of his own. 

Teal'c shook his head. "They have no need for memories or of balance like the To'kra. They just need a host. They enter the host's mind and change it until it suits their needs. They are more like animals, acting only on pure survival instincts." Teal'c had an almost disgusted look on his usually stoic face as if the idea of Guada repulsed him. 

"Go'ualds just occupy the host's body, the existing personalities and memories still remain, but asleep. If they leave, the host body regains all of their original memories." Daniel explained, but Jack could hear a bit of hoping in his voice. Jack knew that although it wasn't truly proven, Daniel hoped it was true for his wife Sha'uri and Skaara. 

"This is total conversion." Jack understood, getting a nod from Teal'c. Then Jack shook his head. "Wait a minute. Wouldn't it be to their benefit if the Go'ualds did this, too?" 

"Parasites, Jack." Daniel explained. "They want to gain the hosts' knowledge, too." 

"The Guada doesn't." Teal'c added seriously. "Only total control." 

"But they were destroyed at birth." Jack repeated what Teal'c said before. 

"Not necessarily, Jack." Daniel theorized. "One could always slip by. They are essentially the same. Just the eyes are different." 

"Perhaps." Teal'c looked doubtful. "I believed it to be tales to frighten children, threatening to have them incubate a Guada instead of a Go'uald if they do not behave. However, if what Daniel Jackson is correct, then-" 

"We have a problem, then." Jack finished grimly. "We need to tell the General." A thought occurred to him. "If they take total control, would they be able to conceal themselves from examination?" 

"I am not aware of any, therefore I can not be sure, O'Neill." 

"Well, I think Daniel has just proven that the boogey man does exist." Jack didn't look happy at all. "Whatever happen to the enemy being human?" Jack muttered as he got up. "Give me a nice homosa-homo-" 

"Homo-sapien, Jack." Daniel helped out from his bed. 

"Thank you." Jack said automatically then stopped short. He turned around and frowned. "Now is not the time for lectures, Danny. Get some rest. I'll be back in a moment. I need to debrief General Hammond about this new piece of news." Jack eyed Teal'c, who was making no move to leave. "Do you have anything else you would like me to know? Other half crazed, eye glowing, want to take over the world aliens that I should know about?" 

Daniel smiled as Teal'c answered back in a puzzled voice. "Not to my knowledge, O'Neill." 

"Good." Jack patted Daniel again in the arm and ruffled his hair. The colonel smiled at Daniel's grimace. "Sit tight, Danny." With that, Jack left. 

Teal'c settled himself back into position, by the curtained area to guard Daniel. He could hear the younger man's breathing going slowly into sleep. The Jaafa didn't look at Daniel, just straight ahead. 

"Teal'c?" a sleepy voice broke into his thoughts. 

"Yes, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c didn't turn from his post. 

"What's wrong?" Despite his weariness, the scientist had noticed how the Jaafa avoided looking at him. In fact, when Daniel tried to speak to him, the Jaafa would turn away as if he didn't hear him. 

"I do not understand." Was the Jaafa's stiff response. 

"I-" Daniel didn't know how to ask. He didn't even know what could be wrong. "I- never mind." Daniel tried to get some sleep. Perhaps he is just too out of it and was just misreading Teal'c. "Never mind, Teal'c." He closed his eyes, trying to sleep, but he kept hearing the soldier in his head. It was no use; Daniel couldn't get the voice out of his head. 

_You're not military._

_I guess I'm not wanted here_ , Daniel thought but quickly corrected himself, _no, it's someone who doesn't want me here. Not everyone thinks like that_. Daniel could figure out why. _I'm not exactly a soldier, probably will get in the way when the guns start firing. Was it the Go'uald or the host that wants me gone_? Daniel suppressed a shudder as he wondered. _Three years ago, who would had thought I would have been thinking about who would want me dead or even why? Three years ago, I would had been wondering if the university was going to pull my grant. Definitely not worrying about my own survival or of my wife_. Daniel opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, half-smiling as he recalled that this was what Jack wanted him to do only. _I was so certain back then that I was going to be alone for the rest of my life. Now I have a wife. I didn't think I could love anyone so much like I do with Sha'uri again. I have to find her. I have to tell her that_. Daniel shuddered, just realizing that he almost lost the chance to wish for this. 

"Daniel Jackson." 

Pulled from his thoughts, Daniel twisted his head towards Teal'c, who had turned to look at Daniel quite seriously. "What is it?" 

"I am sorry." Teal'c said simply, but his eyes conveyed what he felt. 

"Huh? Sorry?" Daniel didn't understand. "For what?" 

"This should not have happened, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c bowed his head slightly towards Daniel, his tone very serious as he continued. "I had thought it strange when the soldier had followed you out of the Stargate room, but did not realize the danger to you." 

At first, Daniel wanted to dismiss this as nonsense, but then he saw how serious Teal'c was considering this charge the Jaafa was accusing himself with. _He was a First Prime_ , Daniel reminded himself, _and guarding their gods however false they may be is first before their own. I guess it is like our President's Secret Service_. Somehow, Daniel thought the comparison was not entirely accurate. 

"I should have been able to assist you, Daniel Jackson." 

"No." Daniel shook his head, trying not to grimace as that movement caused some nausea. "I don't think so." 

"Had I been there, you would not have been shot." Teal'c insisted, determined to prosecute himself. 

"Had you been there, " Daniel said as he looked right at the Jaafa, "we **both** might have been shot. And Jack and Sam would have been left by themselves to fight this- Guada." 

Teal'c thought about it for a moment, but Daniel could tell that his point wasn't really convincing the Jaafa. "Teal'c, what is it that really bothered you?" 

"My failure to protect." Teal'c said as he looked at his friend and at all the strange medical equipment surrounding him that Teal'c couldn't even begin to understand. "My inability to do my duty." 

"Duty?" Daniel echoed. It sounded like something Jack would say. "I don't understand, Teal'c. What duty do you think it is that you have?" 

"To protect, of course." Teal'c looked surprised at the question. "I am a Jaafa. A Go'uald warrior." 

"But, that doesn't mean you have to protect us." Daniel blurted out. He continued hastily at the Jaafa's lifted eyebrow. "I mean, it's great that you want to protect us and- but-" Daniel wasn't able to finish because he heard commotion at the other end of the infirmary. He could hear Doctor Fraiser barking orders out to her nurses. "What the-?" Daniel looked at Teal'c with a question. The Jaafa seemed reluctant to leave the area, but something had caught his attention that Daniel couldn't see. 

"Teal'c?" Daniel said, trying to sit up. He couldn't hear anything too clearly, but the tones were urgent. Daniel winced at the failed effort to sit up and he gasped out abruptly in pain. 

That caught Teal'c's attention. Teal'c turned back to Daniel and went over to the scientist. With a firm hand, he pushed Daniel back down onto the bed. Daniel didn't try to get up again, but he was still concerned about the commotion. 

"What is it?" Daniel clutched at Teal'c's sleeve, refusing the silence for an answer. Something was telling him that there something was wrong. 

"A soldier was injured." Teal'c told him, still refusing to leave Daniel's bedside. However, Daniel could tell that the Jaafa was staring intently at the area of commotion. 

"Who?" Daniel asked insistently. 

Teal'c paused as if he was thinking about how to answer. Then he looked back at Daniel and replied, "Captain Carter." 

* * *

"The Guada?" General Hammond repeated. His face gave away no emotion. Jack wondered if the general believed him. 

"Yes, sir." Jack said, wondering what the general was going to say. "Daniel remembers eyes that glowed-" 

"Indication that he's Go'uald then." 

"Yes sir, but they were red." Jack paused. "We haven't encountered anything like that in a possessed Go'uald. Not even with the To'kra." 

General Hammond didn't look like he enjoyed that piece of news very much. "We have come up with a few possibilities, Colonel O'Neill. Several members of various teams who reported injuries." 

"Injuries that might have been from a Go'uald penetration." Jack concluded. 

"Precisely. We're tracking them down now. The gates are secured. No one is to enter or leave this base until all clear." 

Jack didn't look reassured. General Hammond continued, "We'll be conducting examinations of these men to see if we-" 

"General Hammond." A soldier knocked on his door. 

"What is it, soldier?" 

"Uh, just thought we informed you that we found Captain Carter shot by the labs and-" 

"What?" Jack jumped to his feet before even remembering interrupting what the general was going to say. "Sir, Carter believed she could get a picture of our shooter. That's why we were down at the labs." 

"I'm sorry, colonel." The soldier shook his head. "The lab was destroyed. We had some people down there now for forensics-" 

"Is she are alright?" The general demanded. 

Jack didn't wait for a reply. He pushed past the soldier, muttering to the general his leave and was out the door. The soldier looked at the general nervously, wondering if the general was angry for being interrupted. The general, however, didn't look angry. Only concerned. Hammond didn't like this turn of events at all. The general motioned the soldier over. 

"Yes sir?" 

"I want you to get me the whereabouts of the following men- Andrew, Belarus, Conner, Harper, Turner, Williams, Wonder, and Yearling. Have them report to the infirmary ASAP." 

"Yes sir."


	6. Chapter 6

Jack eyed the equipment with an angry eye, feeling like this had all happened before. Carter was lying in a bed before him, opposite from Daniel's corner. Doctor Fraiser was telling him how the bullet only grazed her cranium and a craniotomy was done to relieve a hematoma. 

"Captain Carter was very fortunate, colonel." Frasier went on saying, "She is going to be alright. Captain Carter is already restless, slipping from her unconscious state to a stage of sleep. She should be awake in a few hours with a very bad headache." 

All of this was going through to Jack, but it still sounded like gibberish to his ears. The blood that was rushing through him was like a furious roar that drowned out everything else. 

"Colonel?" 

Jack nodded, indicated that he understood. Doctor Fraiser, seeing that the colonel was in no mood for words of platitudes, stepped away to check on her other patients. Two soldiers approached Jack almost immediately afterwards. 

"Colonel O'Neill?" the taller soldier spoke up when Jack didn't acknowledge their presence immediately. The colonel looked up finally and the soldier saluted to the colonel. "Lieutenant Steve Lasting, sir. He's Lieutenant Gary Harper." The soldier pointed to his dark haired companion. "We were the ones who found Carter first, sir." That got Jack's complete attention. 

"Did you get a glimpse of who shot her?" 

Lasting shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, colonel. I didn't." 

"I did not see him either, Colonel O'Neill. I just heard Captain Carter cried out. When I arrived, she was on the floor. The lab was destroyed." Harper said as he looked right at Carter. Jack observed the soldier with recognition. The dark hair and gray eyes registered a name. 

"You look familiar. You're with SG-5, aren't you? With Turner?" 

"Yes." The soldier said simply. 

Jack eyed the scar on his face, but said nothing about it. He glanced over to where Teal'c and Daniel was. "I'm going to need guards by this infirmary here. Lasting, you and Harper stay here until General Hammond can get replacements over here." 

"Yes sir." 

Excusing himself, Jack went over to his other injured friend. Jack nodded to Teal'c to inform him that Carter was all right. As Jack entered the curtained off area, Jack caught Daniel trying to sit up. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jack exclaimed as he went over. Teal'c and Jack eased him up slowly, propping pillows behind Daniel. 

"Jack." Daniel made a face as his chest protested the movement of sitting up. "Sam? Is she okay? Teal'c wouldn't let me see her." 

"Well, Teal'c did the right thing. He's staying here with you." Jack frowned disapprovingly at Daniel. "She's okay, Daniel. Just not waking up soon." 

"Was it the same…guy?" Daniel asked hesitantly. His face paled a bit when Jack reluctantly nodded. Teal'c eyed across the room with some concern. 

"Captain Carter must had appeared as a threat to the Guada." 

"General Hammond is getting a list of possibilities together right now." Jack looked reluctant to leave. "Teal'c, you stay here with Daniel. No, arguments." Jack continued, seeing Daniel about to protest. "Daniel, you stay put and horizontal. We got two guys on Carter right now. I am going to make sure this is settled once and for all." Jack, all of the sudden, looked very angry. 

"Jack." Daniel said. The young scientist looked worried-so worried that Jack went over and gripped Daniel's shoulder reassuringly. 

"I'll be right back, Daniel. Everything's okay." 

"You'll be careful, right?" Daniel insisted. 

"Sure, Daniel." Jack's eyes were not looking at Daniel, but at the two guards over by Carter. 

"Jack-" Daniel's hand shot out from under the covers to grasp the colonel's sleeve. 

"Hey, a man of caution, Danny boy." Jack grinned back at Daniel crookedly. He could see Daniel's eyes glued to Jack's sidearm. The holster was undone so the pistol could be pulled out immediately. Jack suspected Daniel knew why. He nodded to Teal'c, cast another glance to Carter from across the infirmary, and continued on, "We'll get him, Daniel. You just sit tight and get better, okay? When you're back on your feet again, I have a lot to teach you." 

"Like what?" Daniel asked sleepily. Daniel's eyes began to droop again. He was tiring too easily for Jack's comfort. 

Jack went over again, eased him back down with Teal'c's help. Looking down, Jack resisted the urge to ruffle Daniel's hair. With a grin as he watched Daniel's eyes closed, Jack said "Like duck, perhaps." 

The younger man's eyes slid shut and Jack's grin faded into a grim line. He looked at Teal'c, his eyes boring through the curtain to where he knew Carter lay. 

"Keep an eye on Sam, too. Okay, Teal'c?" Jack moved away from Daniel, gently pulling Daniel's grip off his sleeve. 

"I give you my word, O'Neill." Teal'c promised. 

Jack studied Teal'c thoughtfully. "Even if you didn't give me your word, Teal'c, I would believe you to do it." 

The Jaafa was taken back but couldn't find a reply as Jack left. He watched the colonel walk past Carter's bed. The colonel paused there and Teal'c wondered what Jack was thinking. 

_First Daniel, then Sam. I could be a target next._ Jack frowned at his process of thought. _Well, if I am a target, might as well make it easier for the bastard. I'll find him first._ Jack approached Carter's bed. He noticed that the captain's brow was furrowed as if she was dreaming. The colonel was no doctor and he wasn't sure if that was a good sign. 

"Carter?" Jack leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "Sam? Hello, anyone there?" 

The brows furrowed deeper as if somehow, Carter could sense the colonel was near. Her lips moved wordlessly as she tried to speak. 

"What?" Jack leaned even closer, so close that a stray blond curl tickled Jack's nose. "What is it?" He ignored the curious looks of Harper and Lasting, who were guarding the infirmary entrance a few feet away. 

"G-guada. 'car. Scar." 

Jack nodded, whispered that it was okay and straightened up. That at least confirmed that it was the same man and he was Guada. Jack also knew he had to get the list the general was talking about and seek out those named himself. 

"Harper? Lasting?" 

"Yes, colonel?" 

"I'm putting you two in charge of this infirmary. We'll have guards posted at the ends of the hallways. You two are in here by the doors. Is that clear?" Jack nodded towards Teal'c. "Other than Teal'c, myself, the general or Doctor Fraiser, no one else is to come in here without them accompanying them." 

"Yes sir." 

With that, Jack gave a curt nod to the guards and left without any glance at his bedridden friends. Jack didn't see the small smile on Harper's face. 

* * *

_Why are you still here? You're not listening to me. **Fool**. You will get us killed. I can't control you. You are as foolish as those humans who believed I would honor their bargain and help kill their traitors for a pitiful exchange of freedom. I do not need them. I do not need you. The other, who left. He is a man of power, he will do. Quickly! Follow him!_

Gary kept looking straight ahead as O'Neill walked past him. His jaw clenched as he tried to ignore the screaming in his blood. It screamed for him to kill and to escape. It screamed for him to follow Jack. For what reason, he didn't know. The slick, soothing voice that had echoed in his head, was now screaming at him. But, Gary had to finish his mission. Maybe then, his voice was be pleased again. His mission was important. Yes, very important. They were so weak now. Small militia teams bouncing through one Gate after the other. What did they gain from it? **Nothing**. While they were being invaded from outside and from inside, the government continues on with their passive explorations. 

_That will change_ , Gary thought as he tried to ignore his headache, which grew with each frustrated scream of his inner voice. _Yes, once I rid of the diseased limbs, we will heal to become stronger. They'll see I'm right. They'll see._

But first, he needed to get rid of Lasting and Teal'c. 

* * *

The infirmary was empty of staff saved for Doctor Fraiser, who examined two soldiers called in by General Hammond. Nodded, she excused them and shook her head to the general. 

"MIR looks clean, so are the CAT scans, sir. I see no symptoms at all. Was there anyone else, sir?" 

"Just Harper, Turner, Wonder and Yearling had not been reached yet. They're paging them again." General Hammond spies Jack entering the room. "Colonel O'Neill, Doctor Fraiser here told me the good news about Captain Carter." 

"Yes sir." Jack eyed the two soldiers leaving. 

"They're clean, colonel." Fraiser waved two others to come in. "Can I have your names, soldier?" she asked them as she scanned the clipboard for a match. 

"Turner, Doc." The soldier gave a crisp salute to the general and the colonel. "You wanted to speak with me, sir?" 

"Just a secondary checkup. I understand you were injured during a mission two weeks ago, son." General Hammond motioned the soldier to sit down on the gurney. Doctor Fraiser proceeded to examine the soldier as the soldier answered. 

"Yes sir. SG-5 and I were on recon at P3X209. Typical climate, like a rainforest, in fact. But I'm sure that was on the report-" the thin soldier looked puzzled. "Sir, is there anything wrong?" 

Jack answered that question. "We suspect an alien Go'uald had infiltrated the base, soldier." 

"No shit?" Turner looked stunned. He didn't even notice Doctor Fraiser giving the thumbs up to Jack. "Is that why all the security lockdowns?" 

"That's right." 

"And you think I'm a Go'uald?" Turner didn't look mad, just slightly amused that they would suspect him. "No offense, sir, but I don't even like worms much less snakes. I might be too revolted for it to take me over." 

Jack grinned at the reply. "This Go'uald is not picky, soldier, but from the looks of the Doc over here, I think we can take your word for it." 

"Just need to do a CAT scan, but it looks pretty good." Fraiser motioned the soldier to change his uniform for a hospital gown. "Won't take too much of your time, Turner." 

"Take your time." Turner grimaced, "I got KP duty right now." 

"Who's next on the list?" Jack wanted to know. 

General Hammond, checking the list his assistant gave him, read out the remaining lists. "Harper, Wonder and Yearling." 

"Harper?" Turner stopped midway of taking off his boots. 

"You know Harper?" Jack asked. 

"Yes sir. He was on SG-5 with us. I doubt he's who you're looking for, though." 

"Why do you say that?" General Hammond didn't look angry at being disagreed by Turner. 

"Well, general. Harper was injured gravely during that mission. A bunch of natives jumped us and he got slashed across the face and back. We got back and were examined by the military hospital. Harper, I guess, was more injured than we thought and he was sent to a military facility in DC. Got back just three days ago. He's okay now. They would have found something all that time, but they obviously didn't, sir." 

"They sent him all the way to DC?" Jack looked doubtful. "For slashes?" 

"Was it a specialist he was referred to?" General Hammond motioned Doctor Fraiser over to listen. 

"I don't know, general." 

"I don't see why they have to send him to the other side of the nation to see a specialist." Fraiser mused as she scanned her charts for the name Harper. "Here it is. Harper. Was seen by Doctor Letter at our military hospital. He was the one who made the recommendation. I'll give him a call after I checked out Harper." 

"I was surprised to see him come back here." Turner murmured as he continued to change. 

Jack turned around to look at Turner in surprise. "What do you mean by that, Turner?" 

"Well, he wanted a transfer, before that last mission. Got in bad with the co of SG-5 at one time. I would have thought that he would have used that opportunity to do so." Turner paused, his thin face red as he wondered if he said too much. "I'm not gossiping here, sir. He had done the paperwork." 

"I think I remembered that request." General Hammond nodded, remembering. "I told him that it would have to be approved. We can't really just transfer anyone out of here." 

Turner nodded solemnly. He had seen it before. Many soldiers had come into the program and after a few months, would get cold feet and want to transfer. But due to the sensitivity of the project, it was a very minute chance of that happening. Usually they would have to be content with transferring within SGC to more passive duty. Turner had expected that to happen with his comrade, but Harper had been insistent about transfer. 

Nodding, Jack eyed the list. "Has anyone notified Ha-" Jack stopped. Noticing this, General Hammond spoke up. 

"Something on your mind, Colonel O'Neill?" 

"Harper." Jack nodded as he confirmed it with himself. "Nothing, sir. Just realized that Harper is guarding Carter right now. I'll just go get him myself and have him scoot over here to Doc's." 

"I would appreciate it, colonel." Fraiser murmured distracted as she lead Turner away to the labs for a CAT scan. "It'll save me the trouble of waiting." 

"Glad to be of service, Doc." Jack replied as he took his leave of the general and left. 

* * *

Lasting shifted slightly, a bit restless with just standing around. The soldier studied the infirmary with a grunt. He didn't understand why they needed so many guards. He said this out loud to Harper. 

"I believe there is an intruder here within this base. That is why." Harper just said, his eyes focused on Carter. 

"Really? No shit!" Lasting exclaimed, glancing down at Carter. "I was wondering what the hell was going on here. That why Doctor Jackson is here, too?" 

"Perhaps." 

_Smart ass_ , Lasting thought to himself as he threw a sideways glance over to his temporary comrade on duty. It wasn't that he thinks this duty wasn't important. From the way Harper said it; it was very important. But at least some conversation to pass the time. Harper was as cold as the Jaafa a few feet away. Lasting spared a glance over to the curtained off area and decided not to think about. _God only knows if they can read minds._

Harper looked ahead now, straight at the area where Daniel Jackson lay. He couldn't see Teal'c, but he could _sense_ the Jaafa was near. His gray eyes narrowed as he evaluated the possibilities. It was too perfect. All three were here. He could eliminate the imperfect. They are unpredictable. Harper remembered what the uniformed men told him back in Washington. The voices were clearer now. _The civilian, the Traitor, and the To'kra. Yes, eliminate them and the operation can continue as the way it should have._

_**Fool**. You need not fulfill the humans' bargain. We are free now. They can not touch us. Take O'Neill and be done with it. You are endangering us._

His voice was back and with it, the odd throbbing pain. Harper clenched his fists as he struggled to comprehend the voice. It was so much easier before. The voice sounded garbled as his thoughts struggle to resurface. It didn't matter, though. Once his mission was complete, the voice would return and that intoxicating feeling he felt before would return. 

"Harper?" Lasting inquired, his voice annoyed as his question went unanswered. The soldier nudged Harper. "Are you paying attention?" 

Harper turned around too quickly, forgetting for a moment that his inner voice was visible now. Lasting jerked as he realized that Harper's eyes were glowing. 

"Shi-" Lasting managed out before Harper's hand reached out and grabbed him by the neck. The soldier tried to pry the hands off but couldn't. The soldier didn't even have a chance to make any sound when he shuddered and was then still. Harper whirred around at the sounds of footsteps and caught Teal'c by the throat, too. 

The Jaafa had heard the choked off voice. Immediately, Teal'c had launched himself towards Harper, but before he could attack, the possessed soldier had spun around and caught him in a death grip. The hands tightened and Teal'c couldn't find the air to shout out any warning. 

"Jaafa!" Harper's voice changed as his eyes glowed once more. "I may allow you to live if you join me." The voice changed, its tones switching from just human to the possessed Go'uald. Teal'c realized that the takeover was incomplete. Something must have gone wrong. 

"Trek'a!" Teal'c spat out, his hands gripped at Harper's forearms, trying to pull them away. He will not let him harm his friends! 

"I knew you would not join us." Harper said smugly, his voice human again. The soldier abruptly slammed Teal'c to the wall. "Do you think you can defy us? You are nothing but filth." The soldier's voice switched back to Go'uald, its tone was filled with disgust. "You are Jaafa, selected by your false gods. The same gods who pick us out and seek to destroy us simply because they do not see us deemed fit. You fear us; speak of our names in whispers! **We** are Guada. You can not destroy us completely!" Harper laughed. The glow in his eyes flickered. Teal'c realizes then that perhaps the human Harper was not totally lost. 

"You are not Guada." Teal'c managed to say. "You are human! Harper!" Teal'c said, remembering the name the human gave to Jack. 

"I am Guada!" 

"No, you are human! You must fight for control." Teal'c tried once more to pull those hands away, but the grip was ironclad. The Guada could expend all of its host's strengths exponentially. It was making use of it right now and if Teal'c didn't find a way to defeat him, Carter and Daniel would be in grave danger. 

"Control?" Harper hissed, bringing his face up close to the Jaafa. "Control? This place reeks of weakness. Where is your control? My co was a fool. He wouldn't listen to me that time and let half of our team die. Do you know why? Because we were weak against your Jaafa! We had nothing out of all the planets we explored, just a few treaties with primitive natives who were no help to us when they attacked. You speak of science and humanity, discarding the spoils of other planets. You are fools. We will change this. **We** will rid this place of the imperfections and prepare ourselves for war." 

"War?" Teal'c froze at the word. 

"War." Harper spoke of it like he would a lover's name. "We will take what the Stargate has to give us and destroy the Go'uald system lords. **We** will become gods!" 

"A fool's dream." Teal'c growled, but Harper shook his head. The voice changed once more to Go'uald. 

"You are the fool to not join us. The human leaders of this world are fools into believing we would be so obedient for the mere exchange of freedom." 

"Exchange?" 

"Yes." Harper grinned. "Did you not realize that this," a jerk of his head towards the curtained area where Daniel was, "was with the blessing of the leaders of this place? To think you would follow these people who plot your demise within the shadows of their offices." 

Words no longer made sense to Teal'c. He growled and threw his knees up and out towards Harper. The soldier staggered, letting go of the Jaafa. It was Teal'c's turn now. The Jaafa launched himself at Harper, driving the man back away from Carter and further away from Daniel. The two men locked in grip, crashed into the monitors at the other end of the infirmary. In the midst of the struggle, a gun had skittered from between them and spun away. 

Teal'c realized that it was his own weapon. Although more comfortable with his zat gun or staff weapon than the human mechanical weapons, Jack had him carry one anyway. And now that weapon, torn from his side holster during the struggle, was at some distance away. 

"Cret shamk nee^gme." Harper hissed. He gave Teal'c an abrupt shove that caused the Jaafa to stagger back. Quickly, he whipped out his own gun. Before Teal'c could react, he fired.


	7. Chapter 7

The hallways were, oddly enough, empty. Jack usually had to steer around lab technicians, scientists with their hands full of odd paperwork and the occasional soldier. But because of the lockdown, everyone was making a point of making sure that they knew where everyone was. That meant staying put in their little corners. So the hallways were empty of the sounds of heavy boots against concrete floors. The hallways were also empty of the coming and going sounds of conversations of the passerby's. 

Because of the emptiness, Jack had heard the two shots quite clearly. 

With a shout, Jack whipped his sidearm out and ran down the hallways to the infirmary. As he went through, the back of his mind made note that the guards he had put up on either end of the hallways were missing. That was noted for later though, as Jack reached the doors to the infirmary. Resisting the urge to just barge in, Jack edged over to the small window of the doors and peered in. What he saw made him threw caution in the wind and rush in. 

"What the hell happened?" Jack demanded as the one person he saw still moving, got up on shaky legs. "Harper? You all right? What happened to Teal'c?" 

"It was the Guada." Harper stood up straighter with Jack's help. "It was Lasting. He was Guada. Teal'c tried to help me but was unsuccessful. I had to shoot Lasting." He indicated to the dead soldier with the bullet hole in his head. "He is dead." 

Jack didn't approach the body, not wanting to take the chance that the Guada might still be alive. "Call for the Doc and get some people over here." Not waiting to see if his orders were being followed, Jack went over to Teal'c. 

The Jaafa was unconscious. Jack saw the wound on his chest. It wasn't bleeding a lot, probably because of the healing powers of the Go'uald. _Go'uald or not_ , Jack thought grimly, _he still needs stitching up_. He wondered if the pulse rate was the same for Teal'c as for them. He checked anyway and was a bit satisfied that the pulse was steady by human terms. _Carter was right. It was the 'scarred' ones. The Guada-_

Jack stopped. He knew that Carter sometimes had the memory of Jolinar, the To'kra who once reside within her. He remembered Carter said it was Guada and translated it to the scarred ones- no. _That wasn't it_. Carter may have the memories, but their strange language was still elusive to her. _How did she know Guada meant scarred_? 

_Shit_. 

That was all Jack could think before he whirred around with his gun, aiming for- 

Harper, who had made no move to call for help or to assist Jack. Jack knew the reason why now. 

"Don't move." Jack ordered, standing up and away from Harper. He placed one hand on the wall; feeling for the phone that he always knew was there. "Stay right where you are." 

Harper made no sound. His eyes didn't glow and Jack, for the briefest moment, wondered if perhaps he was incorrect in his deduction. His hand found the phone and he eagerly snatched it, put it over his ear, before he realized that the line was dead. 

"If you just cooperate, O'Neill, it would be over quickly." 

Jack glared at the soldier before him. The voice that spoke had wavered from human to Go'uald like as if bad connections in a phone call. _Bad connection_. Perhaps that was why the Guada hadn't completely taken Harper over, although Jack wasn't sure about that. There was a maniacal gleam in Harper's eye as he approached Jack. 

"Don't move." Jack ordered, pointing the gun right at Harper. He wondered where all the guards were, why no one else seems to have heard the shots except for him. 

_Take him now_ , the voice hissed to Harper, but Harper couldn't understand him. The harder he tried to concentrate, the more garbled the voice became. Harper paused, frowning inwardly. 

Seeing that Harper was distracted for some reason, Jack took the opportunity. He had to get him away from here! He shot forward and tackled Harper mid-section. The two tumbled, sliding to a crashing halt to the foot of Carter's bed. Jack could feel Harper struggling for his own gun, which he had hidden from Jack in his belt. The colonel slammed his fist hard on the hand, causing the hand to flinch and let go of the gun. Then Jack remembered the Guada. 

_Can't get close to him_ , Jack realized that he was vulnerable to a takeover at such close proximity. He lurched away, tumbling over the discarded pistol. Harper shouted, no, he roared as he grabbed Jack by the shoulders, pinning him to the ground. Jack grunted, tried to get his arms up but was held back by the man's surprising strength. Harper was looking around for his gun, his arms still pinning Jack to the floor, but Jack knew he wasn't going to find his weapon. 

The gun was underneath Jack. He could feel the metal grinding into his back. 

Red eyes glowed at Jack angrily. Jack jerked a knee up but didn't have the leverage to make contact. 

"You are so foolish." There was that voice again. "I would have thought you would have tried to talk and attempt to reach my host." It sounded amused at Jack's struggling. 

"I rather beat the shit out of you." Jack grated out as he tried once more to get Harper to let go. _Where the hell is he getting his strength_? 

"No matter." The voice sounded so smug, so arrogant. Jack wished he had just shot at him the moment he knew. "It wouldn't have done any good. My host had freely allowed me to come." 

"Bullshit." 

"He too saw you humans as weak." The Guada laughed, mixing his eerie voice with Harper. "How ironic. I had thought him to be weak, too." The Guada eyed Jack, "I still do. The merging was not complete. The fool humans knew this and manipulated him in hopes of a contract." 

"Contract?" Jack nearly stopped his struggling, but the cold surveying eyes convinced him not to. 

"What contract?" 

"A contract." The Guada smiled as if he was just talking to a friend, not in a struggle hold with one. He leaned closer, dropping his voice to a conspiring whisper. "It seems your role here was not satisfactory." 

"No one's ever happy." Jack snarled, suddenly swinging his head forward. His forehead rammed Harper's painfully. It probably didn't hurt the soldier with his enhanced strength, but it sure as hell had surprised him enough to loosen his grip. Jack wiggled free a bit, gaining enough leverage to bring his legs up and out. They made contact to Harper's chest and pushed forward hard. The Guada had made no verbal sound as he stumbled back and crashed into the monitors. 

"Now that made **me** happy." Jack panted as he got up. He kicked the gun until it slid halfway across the room, landing under the curtain beneath Daniel's bed. Jack couldn't spare a glance over to his friends. He didn't dare remove his eyes on Harper. _Where the hell are all the guards_? 

Harper got up, looking like as if he was going to tear Jack in half. His eyes seem to burn red. The Guada was in full control now. Harper appeared to have been lost. Jack fought the urge to take an involuntary step back. He steadied his gun at Harper again. 

"You won't shoot me." The voice dropped lower again. Jack swallowed. The colonel knew he had to keep away from Harper. He was not going to be taken by him. Jack rather put a bullet through his own head than let that happen, but he sure as hell was not going to go down alone then. 

"I can give you such power. You would never had felt anything like it." Harper's mouth curled to a smile. Jack wasn't fooled. 

"Yeah, and be dissected. No thanks." Jack cocked the barrel of his gun. 

The double doors of the infirmary opened. Turner, in hastily dressed uniform, skidded to a halt behind Jack. 

"Holy Shi-" Turner started. 

"Not now," Jack barked, his eyes glued to Harper. "We can comment on the situation with some of my favorite words later. Right now, I could use an extra gun on him." 

Harper made no move. He didn't even look upset at the extra man he now has to contend with. Turner pulled out his gun and pointed it at Harper. 

"Did you see any guards on your way over here, Turner?" Jack asked tightly. 

"No, sir. Not one." 

Jack nodded and indicated to Harper to kneel down. The possessed soldier still didn't move. He just studied Jack silently. Jack hated those red eyes looking at him. 

"Turner, try the phone by Carter and see if you can a line. We need more men here." 

"You don't need anymore men, sir." Turner said to Jack. 

Jack didn't have a chance to react to that, because suddenly the colonel felt a hard object struck the back of his head. Stunned, Jack fell to his knees. His nerveless fingers released the sidearm and Turner calmly kicked it away. With a quick click, he handcuffed Jack's hands behind him. Harper cocked his head to Turner with a raised eyebrow. 

"Don't just stand there!" Turner's voice turned harsh all of the sudden. "Finish what you agreed to do and then get away from this area. I'll cover up." 

"Who are you?" Harper's eyes glowed at Turner. The possessed soldier was making no move to do what Turner told him. 

Turner looked up in surprise. "Well, shit. I guess the men upstairs were right." Turner looked down at the barely conscious Jack. "I guess the takeover wasn't complete after all." He made a face. "You worm heads really are more trouble than what you're worth." Turner could see Harper's eyes were at Jack. "Guess you would want to jump ship now." Turner gave Jack a hard shove. The colonel gave a grunt as he fell face down to the floor. "I would volunteer- well, then again, maybe not. But I guess you already made your choice." 

"You are working with them?" Harper stated flatly. 

"Oh, that's real brilliant." Turner said sarcastically. "I knew when I ran into you down that hallway that something must have been wrong. I could have done a better job." Turner nodded towards Daniel's area and then to Teal'c. "Get rid of those two then jump ship." 

"What about the To'kra?" 

Turner snorted. "Don't you remember anything?" 

Harper's eyes lost its red glow for a moment. "No." 

"Shit." Turner cursed as he cocked his gun to hand over to Harper. "Upstairs wants her for other purposes. She may remember stuff about those worm heads that we could use." 

"She saw my face." 

"That's why you're jumping ship." Turner repeated exasperated. 

Harper paused for some strange reason. Turner shook his head. "Listen! I don't care how much you remember! Your agreement will all come back once you gain a new host!" 

For some reason, the voice inside Harper was fading. Harper was losing the euphoric feeling of power. Whatever Turner was saying, was not making sense to him. Why would he want the Guada to leave? Harper looked at Jack, feeling anger returning to replace the confusion. No! He didn't want it to leave. Harper wanted it to stay with him. He just had to - Harper felt a hand grabbed his wrist. It was Turner. 

"Look, get O'Neill right now, then finish up!" Turner practically dragged him over to Jack. Turner roughly pulled Jack up. The colonel was glaring at Turner with half slit eyes. 

"Bastard." Jack breathed as he struggled to get away from Turner's grip. He could feel Harper standing over him, his damned eyes boring right at him. 

"Colonel." Turner refused to look at Jack. "I'm just doing my patriotic duty here." 

"What you're doing is selling out to serpent heads!" Jack shouted. Turner gave him a vicious swipe at his head again. Jack fell back to his knees with a groan. Turner glared at Harper. 

"Will you hurry up and do your whatever you do?" Turner snapped. "Doc Fraiser is going to wake up pretty soon from that tranquilizer I gave her and soon this whole place will be singing with god damn alarms!" 

Jack could feel Harper standing over him now. The possessed soldier placed his hands on Jack's shoulders, pressing him down to his knees so the colonel wouldn't be able to move. Jack tried once more to kick back at Turner, who was behind him. Turner efficiently dodged Jack's foot and stomped down on Jack's ankles so that the colonel wouldn't try that again. 

"Too bad, colonel." Turner gave a laugh. "I remembered you from the last mission. You were okay for a co. I'll try to remember you that way." 

"Remember this instead." A shaky voice said from behind. 

Jack heard a metallic bong as he felt Turner's feet stagger away from his ankles. Then he heard a shot from a few feet away. As Harper stepped back involuntarily, Jack rolled away. As he righted himself, he saw two things that made him stop. 

First was the fact that Carter was shakily on her feet, gripping an IV stand over the downed Turner. She looked pale and barely on her feet, but she looked very angry. 

"One person as a former host is enough for this team." Carter said as she gripped the metal pole that she had struck Turner on the head with, very tightly. 

The second was by the curtained area. Jack could see one of the curtains pulled slightly back. Daniel was on his knees, by the floor with the gun Jack had kicked under his bed. Smoke wafted out of the gun due to the bullet the Egyptologist had fired just over Harper's head. 

"Jack, are you all right?" The younger man shakily asked. Daniel's face was pale with the exertion of getting out of his bed. He kept his eyes on Harper, who was a few feet away from Jack. The soldier was looking right at Daniel right now. 

"Yeah." Jack managed to say as his throat had suddenly went dry. 

"Sir, get away from him." Carter said as she bounded Turner up with IV tubing that she found. She looked at Harper with a mixture of anger and fear. "He's the one, sir. He's the one who attacked me down at the labs. He's Guada." 

"You think?" Jack quipped weakly. He tried to straighten up, but it was difficult with his hands cuffed behind him. 

Carter rummaged Turner's pockets and found the key. She unlocked Jack's cuffs. The colonel gave a curt nod of thanks, then promptly went over to Harper. The soldier stepped forward to Jack, but then Daniel fired another shot between the two men. Jack winced as he felt the bullet whizzed by his face. _Either Daniel is getting to be a very good shot_ , Jack thought as he swiftly cuffed Harper's hands, _or I had better get that gun away from Daniel really quick_. Jack gave the cuffs a quick tug to check if they were secure, then Jack turned Harper around so Jack could see him face to face. 

"Colonel!" Carter warned as she bend over to check on Teal'c, who was beginning to stir. "Step away from him." 

"I want to know who!" Jack snarled as he jabbed a finger to Harper's chest. Inside, Jack agreed with Carter that he should step back, but there was a part of him that remembered his team members were lying in this infirmary injured. It was that part that demanded answers. 

"Who was it that you made the deal with?" Jack demanded. "Who wanted to eliminate some of my team members?" Jack heard Carter gasp at that piece of news. "Who?" 

"I do not remember." Harper looked at Jack. 

"Bullshit!" 

Harper's eyes glowed suddenly and Jack took a step back before he even realized it. "They wanted you all dead. The To'kra woman was to be spared for now." 

"Who?" Jack demanded. 

Harper just smiled, which infuriated Jack. The colonel was about to grab him when the doors opened again and a groggy Doctor Fraiser with four soldiers busted in. 

"Is everyone okay here?" Fraiser asked as she took in the damage. Teal'c was sitting up, a bullet wound on his shoulder. Carter looked like she was going to pass out and Daniel was still clinging on to the edge of his bed, too exhausted to get back on it again. And Jack- Jack looked like he was ready to explode. 

"Get this guy in the brig." Jack snarled, as he jerked a thumb towards Turner. "And this one," Jack pointed to Harper, "an isolated cell with two guards." 

The two were taken away. Jack looked ready to follow Harper when he heard Daniel's voice calling his name weakly. Jack didn't give Harper a second look as he crossed the infirmary to Daniel. Fraiser was tending with Teal'c while trying to tell Carter to get back to bed. 

"Jack." Daniel whispered as Jack gingerly took the gun away from the younger man. 

"Thanks for the assist, Danny." Jack said quietly as he helped Daniel back up to his bed. Daniel winced a bit, but smiled at Jack anyway. 

"For a while back there, " Daniel weakly joked, "I was going to ask Teal'c to keep it down, but then I heard the Guada." The Egyptologist shuddered at the memory. "Jack, it was like they said. The takeover wasn't complete, but- god, Jack. The man was trying to fight it. He was trying to keep it." Daniel's eyes were round with the revelation. "Do you think Harper was aware of what was happening to him? That he knew what was inside of him and didn't care-" 

"I don't know." Jack told Daniel as he pulled the covers over Daniel carefully. Frankly, Jack didn't care. Harper was caught and now Jack could get some answers. 

"Wh-who would want us dead, Jack?" Daniel's hand came up to grip Jack's sleeve. The colonel was telling him to remain calm, but Daniel's head was spinning with the horrible knowledge that someone had wanted them dead. "Harper said that it was one of our own. I don't understand, Jack." 

"Harper was just saying that to throw me off guard." Jack lied as he darted a concerned glance back to where Teal'c was. The Jaafa was standing on his own and had nodded towards Jack to confirm that he was fine. "He didn't have me fooled one bit." Jack grinned crookedly at Daniel. 

Daniel looked at Jack, a bit angry at the obvious lie. "Then what about Turner, Jack? Are you telling me Turner was willing to go along with this...lie?" 

Jack frowned at Daniel. "Get some rest, Daniel." He straightened up and was about to head over to Teal'c when suddenly Daniel snagged a piece of Jack's sleeve again. Jack turned around again. 

"You don't think he's lying, Jack." Daniel said, not really asking. At Jack's reluctant nod, Daniel sighed. He was hoping, for a brief moment that Jack would lie to him. Daniel didn't like the idea of his friends being targets just because they were unfavorable to someone's agenda. 

"I guess we've been stepping on too many toes, Danny." Jack said with another crooked grin. He turned around again to leave, his hand gently pulling Daniel's hand away from his sleeve. "I'm going to go find out who, right now." 

"Good, because we'll probably still keep on stepping on those toes since I don't really know how to dance, Jack." Daniel said, wincing at the pull of his wounds. 

Even though Jack had his back towards Daniel, the colonel must have heard the wince in Daniel's voice. Daniel could almost hear the frown in Jack's voice as he said one last thing before he left. "Stay put, Danny. If Doc tells me you've been getting up again to shoot some half crazed alien..." Jack turned his head to Daniel with a half-hearted frown. "I'm chaining you to that bed." 

Daniel gave a weak salute to Jack as the colonel walked away. 

* * *

Teal'c brushed aside the hands of the medical aides as they adjusted his arm into a sling cast. He glanced over to Carter, who was gingerly getting back into bed under the watchful eye of Doctor Fraiser. Carter kept on insisting for a bed closer to Daniel. The doctor muttered in a bothered voice, commenting that Carter wouldn't be much help as a bodyguard for her friend right now. Nevertheless, she got Carter in another bed, adjacent to Daniel's. The doctor, Teal'c noted, was none too steady on her feet either. 

"Aren't we a sorry looking bunch?" Jack quipped as he approached Teal'c after his talk with Daniel. The Jaafa said nothing, his eyes was surveying the damage around the infirmary. Jack could see the disapproval in the Jaafa's eyes, but Jack also knew it was for himself. 

"Teal'c?" Jack quietly asked again when Teal'c didn't answer the first time. "Are you alright?" 

"The Go'uald inside will heal me-" 

"I'm not asking about that." Jack waved his hand impatiently. The colonel had seen the self-disapproval in the Jaafa's eyes. He wanted Teal'c to tell him what was wrong. 

"I had failed again." Teal'c said simply, his eyes dark as he remembered how Harper got the better of him. "I allowed the man to put Daniel Jackson and Captain Carter in danger." 

"You didn't know that Harper was the shooter." Jack pointed out. The colonel remembered something. A look of disgust crossed his face, "And neither did I. Christ, I was the one who had him posted here to guard the infirmary." 

"You did not know he was Go'uald." Teal'c protested as Jack was muttering to himself in anger. The colonel looked up at Teal'c suddenly. 

"Well," Jack clasped Teal'c's good shoulder. "Neither did you. So you see, Teal'c. You didn't put anyone in danger. Rather, you fought hard to stop him." 

"I didn't succeed in his capture." Teal'c seemed insistent on his blame. 

"Teal'c." Jack looked right at the Jaafa sternly. "We're not here to put blame on anyone. That's not how I do things here. You didn't know about Harper and neither did I. The main thing is that he was caught and we'll be able to get to the bottom of this. Got it?" 

Teal'c studied Jack for a brief moment, before nodding. "Understood, O'Neill." 

* * *

The cell Harper was in was the same one Captain Sam Carter was in when it was discovered that a To'kra was inside her. Harper surveyed the cell with disgust. 

_To think they would put me here in the same place as the To'kra. It reeks of weakness!_

Harper nodded, getting a nervous glance from the soldiers who were guarding him a few feet away. Everyone had instructions to not approach Harper. The Guada inside, raged at the inability to escape into another host. 

_You can hear me_ ; Harper questioned the parasite with a bit of surprise. Since his capture, the Guada was silent and Harper had found his own memories clearing. To his astonishment, he could hear the Guada clearly without having the Guada to resurface over him first. 

_Yes_. The Guada refused to say anything more. 

_We can call those you've made the deal with_ , Harper told it. _They will help us._

_You are a bigger fool than I had first believed if you think that they will continue to help us_. The parasite gave a bitter laugh in Harper's head. _We are dead, as the scholar and the traitors should have been_. 

The door flew open and a man in a white lab coat, whispered something to the two soldiers guarding him. Harper watched disinterested as the soldiers suddenly collapsed to the ground. The man in the white lab coat gave a quick glance outside to make sure no one saw him. He shut the door quickly and paused before the cage before him. 

A pistol with a silencer screwed over the barrel was pulled out of the lab coat. Suddenly, Harper knew how Jackson must have felt when Harper had pulled out a similar gun at the scientist back in the elevator. 

* * *

General Hammond stopped Jack down the hallway on his way to the brig to see Harper. "Colonel O'Neill. We've found the two guards who were assigned to guarding the hallways leading to the infirmary." 

Jack didn't like the grave look in the general's eyes. "Dead?" he guessed quietly, his heart sank when the general nodded. 

"I'm afraid so." The general nodded once more as he glanced at the door where the infirmary was. "And I've called the military hospital. Doctor Letter's nowhere to be found." 

"He was the one who made the recommendation for Harper to be sent to DC." Jack remembered. 

"Someone, "the general said in a quiet voice as the two men proceeded to walk together over to the brig. "Is covering their tracks." 

"General." Jack paused at a turn. "Someone is hoping to change the agenda of this project." Jack's eyes narrowed as he remembered what Harper and Turner had said. "Someone who had wanted Carter for their own purposes. That means someone who knew about the To'kra." 

Nodding, the general agreed. "I will be seeing to the investigation, Colonel O'Neill, but-" 

"You don't think you'll find anything." Jack finished. He tried to keep his temper on check. 

"No." General Hammond said solemnly. "I don't." The general's eyes reflected the same anger as Jack's now. 

* * *

Teal'c sat down by Daniel's bedside again and watched as the scientist tossed and turned in his sleep. The Jaafa wondered if he should wake him. Before he could decide, however, Daniel awoke on his own. 

"Teal'c?" Daniel mumbled as he tried to sit up. 

"Do not move, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c said. He eyed the infirmary, wondering if he should alert the doctor, who was now over by Carter. Daniel nodded wearily and lay there, staring at the ceiling. He glanced over to Teal'c with a look of concern. Pausing, Daniel thought of how to approach him before he spoke. 

"I wanted to thank you." Daniel whispered as he winced. 

Teal'c was astonished. "Thank me?" Teal'c looked at Daniel with surprise. "I have done nothing." 

"You tried to stop Harper." 

"I had tried." Teal'c looked away and then back at Daniel again. "But I had failed." 

"No, you didn't." Daniel insisted. "Teal'c, you did your best, that was all that mattered." 

"Half successes equals to none." Teal'c told him, remembering his training from long ago. 

Daniel sighed, wondering what he could say that would ease Teal'c's guilt. "Teal'c, why do you think you must take the burden?" 

The Jaafa said nothing as he stood there, eyes staring ahead, over Daniel's head. It gave the scientist a feeling of the stone soldiers that lined up a Chinese emperor's tomb. So still, always watching and never saying one word of complaint. 

"This-" Daniel found himself talking before he could stop himself, "This has nothing to do with just the sh-shooting, is it, Teal'c?" 

"I do not understand Daniel Jackson." Teal'c finally spoke up, his voice was as stiff as his back. 

"I've always noticed," Daniel continued softly as if Teal'c's non-reaction didn't bothered him, "that you seem to be on the look out for me on every mission, as if-" Daniel swallowed, "as if you believe that I can't take care of myself." 

Teal'c looked at Daniel with surprise. "There is no lack of faith in your abilities, Daniel Jackson." 

"Then why are you so insistent in protecting me more than the others?" Daniel persisted with his questions. 

"I-" For the first time since Daniel had first known him; the Jaafa was stumbling over his words. It gave Daniel an uneasy feeling, more so than if Teal'c had not spoken at all. "I wish to repay my debt to you." 

"Debt?" Now it was Daniel's turn to be astonished. 

"It is the only way I know how." Teal'c told the scientist quite seriously. 

"What debt?" Daniel started to ask then froze as he realized what Teal'c was thinking of. "Oh." 

"I was responsible for the taking of your wife." Teal'c said softly, knowing that he need not remind the scientist. "This has caused you many pains since then." Teal'c looked at Daniel with wise, understanding eyes. The Jaafa had seen days when Daniel had loosened his rein on despair, not realizing Teal'c had noticed. 

"Teal'c, remember Cor-ai?" Daniel asked quietly. When Teal'c nodded, Daniel continued. "Like I had said, I had wanted to hate you for it, but I couldn't." Daniel sat up before Teal'c could stop him. "You were not responsible for your actions. Apophis was. In fact, you could say I owe you a debt." 

"Me?" Teal'c's eyebrow darted up. 

"Had you not turned your back against Apophis, one you had believed was your god, we would have all been dead. Then-" Daniel looked down at his lap for a moment, then back up at Teal'c, his blue eyes unusually bright. "There really would have been no hope for Sha'uri and Skaara. We're alive right now, Teal'c. That's my debt." Daniel stopped there, waiting to see if how Teal'c would react to that. 

"There is," Teal'c managed to respond after Daniel's surprising statement, "and shall never will be a debt, Daniel Jackson." 

"Then we're even." Daniel said solemnly to Teal'c. He stuck his hand out, IV and all, towards Teal'c and waited. 

Teal'c studied the hand, then Daniel. The Jaafa nodded and shook Daniel's hand carefully, minding the IV attached to it. Daniel could see by the relaxed shoulders that everything was okay. 

"We are even, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c agreed. "However," Daniel cocked his head at that word, "I must insist on aiding you in training in self defense." 

"Could I decline the offer for now, Teal'c?" Daniel winced at the pull of his stitches again. "I think I would rather lie down again for now." 

Teal'c went over and helped Daniel lie down. "Of course, Daniel Jackson. But as soon as you are feeling well, I will train you." 

Daniel groaned. Then at Teal'c's worried look, shook his head to show it wasn't because of the pain. "Okay, Teal'c, but I remembered how it was for Jack and it's not making me look forward to it." Daniel grinned to show he was kidding. His smile faded as he looked at Teal'c anxiously. "You're okay now, Teal'c?" 

"Yes." Teal'c said without any hesitation. 

Daniel looked at Teal'c and smiled as he was satisfied with Teal'c's response. He yawned and closed his eyes as he said, "Good, because I'm real beat. I think I'll go to sleep-" Daniel never finished his sentence because he fell asleep at his last word. 

Looking at the younger man, Teal'c allowed himself a brief smile. Glancing about to see if anyone else had noticed, Teal'c sat down in the chair besides the bed to guard Daniel's sleep. 

* * *

Carter had overheard the conversation and smiled despite her pounding head. _Leave it to Daniel_ , she thought. _Can't keep him down for long_. Carter thanked once more whoever was responsible up there for protecting her friend. She waved an irritated hand at Doctor Fraiser, who was checking her pressure once more. 

"I feel fine, doctor." Carter said with an annoyed voice as she refused the thermometer. 

"You have stitches on your head and you feel fine?" Fraiser looked at Carter with an equally annoyed look. "You, captain, have been hanging around Colonel O'Neill too long." 

"I would think that is a **good** thing, doc." A voice from behind spoke wryly. Carter grinned at the familiar face. 

The doctor rolled her eyes upwards. She left, but not before casting another annoyed look, this time at Jack, with a reminder for the colonel not to stay too long. 

"Colonel." Carter greeted as Jack sat down on a chair besides her. 

"Carter." Jack smiled tightly. "How's the head?" 

"Hurts like hell." Carter admitted. "Almost as bad as that hangover I had from that celebration we after our return from that Go'uald battleship." 

Jack chuckled at the memory of what Carter was referring to. "Even I never had a hangover that bad." 

Carter gave him an irritated look. It was then that she realized that Jack's laugh was forced. "Sir? Is everything al-" 

"Harper and Turner are dead, Carter." Jack suddenly said. He could see, out of the corner of his eye, that Teal'c had sat up from the news. 

"H-how?" Carter sat up at the news. 

"Shot in the head. General and I found the guards asleep with tranquilizers." Jack frowned as Teal'c started to get up. The Jaafa obediently sat back down at the shake of Jack's head. "Someone has gone and cover their tracks very bloodily." 

"We'll never know who did this, then." Carter murmured, feeling every bit as frustrated and angry as Jack was. 

"Maybe not now." Jack narrowed his eyes, looking very dark and dangerous again. "But I'll definitely know somehow." He looked at Carter with a grin that held no humor in it. " **And** put a stop to it." 

Carter couldn't help but shiver at Jack's eyes. 

* * *

"This has been a fiasco since Letter's recommendation." 

"It would've worked." 

"That is of little comfort to me." 

"The Go'uald, I mean, the Guada had been unstable since day one. It was already injured when it had invaded Harper. What did you expect?" 

"I knew that thing couldn't have been trusted. And your idea of eliminating Jackson was even worst." 

"He's too unpredictable to be allowed to remain in the project. I thought it best for the project if the...unnecessary was taken care of." 

"So loyalty for the work he's done was of no consequence?" 

"You didn't think this way when I had first approached you with Harper and the idea." 

"I had wanted the To'kra woman intact! Your damn...assassin would have killed her!" 

"Well he didn't...and he never will again." 

"...You are very ambitious Sa-" 

"No names!" 

"You are also very paranoid. No one will hear us on this line." 

"I am not taking any chances with my career with the overconfidence on a flimsy phone." 

"Are you going to try again?" 

"Perhaps...we do still have another." 

"Yes...another." 

"I have to go. The general wishes to speak with me. I'll see you in the committee then." 

"Yes. Another day, then." 

Click. 

**  
The End**   


**Author's Note:**

> Original note: This story is dedicated to my friend David, who had emailed me a few ideas when I first approached him with the idea. "How about conspiracies?" he said. "I like conspiracies." For that, I dedicated this to him, who's obviously watched too much X-Files for his own good.


End file.
